SOLUTION: A scientist determined that the bones from a mastodon had lost 70.2% of their carbon-14.How old were the bones at the time they were​ discovered?
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Question 1040087: A scientist determined that the bones from a mastodon had lost 70.2% of their carbon-14.How old were the bones at the time they were discovered? Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, Boreal:Answer by ikleyn(52787) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! .
A scientist determined that the bones from a mastodon had lost 70.2% of their carbon-14.
How old were the bones at the time they were discovered?
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You can put this solution on YOUR website! It is [ln(.298)/-0.693]*5730=1.747*5730=10010.2 years
-0.693 is ln (1/2), the half life, or 50%. If 75% were lost, that would be 2 half-lives or 11460 years, so this is in the range.
Determine the number of half life (1/2)^n=0.298
ln of both sides is n ln(1/2)=ln 0.298. Divide both sides by ln (1/2), which is -0.693
